Electric switch



March 25, 1930. v. A. CONKLIN ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed April 6, 1928INVENTOR I 1H. k n Wu A m Va ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITEDSTATES VERNON A. CONKLIN, F MAPLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY ELECTRIC SWITCHApplication filed April 6, 1928. Serial No. 268,025.

This invention relates to electric switches.

An object of the invention is to provide a switch with automatic,preferably mechanical means which compels the movable member of theswitch to complete its movement when it nears a contact or contacts soas to prevent any possibility of the movable switch member beingpositioned so close to the contact as to permit the electric current toarc or otherwise pass from the contact to the movable member or viceversa. In other words, I provide a manually movable switch with meanswhich complete the closing of the switch when such movement is initiatedmanually.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts. which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out inthe 29 claim.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of astandard type of electric switch, showing in full lines the .blade ormovable member in open position and in dotted lines said member inclosed position;

Figure 2 is a view in front elevation of the standard type of switchshown in Figure 1 with parts in section and parts broken away forclearness;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the movable blades ormembers as they near closing position, with my improved mechanical meansfunctioning to complete such closing movement.

I illustrate my invention in connection with a standard type of switch,in which 1 resembles a base of insulation and 2 and 3 are contactsadapted to be electrically connected by blades or members 4, said bladesor members preferably constituting a single movable element pivotallyconnected to the contacts 2.

as shown at 5, and having an ordinary type of handle 4.

The contacts 3 each comprise a pair of plates between which the blades 4are movable to close the electric circuit. The contacts 3, 3 support atubular member 6 of insulation through which a bolt 7 is passed having anut 8 thereon, the head of the bolt and the nut 8 or m) adapted to clampperforated spring tongues 9, .9 to opposite ends of the insulation tube6. These spring tongues 9 extend above the contacts 3 and have inwardlybent, offset cams 10 adjacent their-outer ends, with the extremities ofthe tongues flared outwardly, as shown at 11, providing an entrance forenlargements 12 on opposite sides of the blades 4.

The enlargements 12 are preferably rounded so that they also constitutecams, and they are properly positioned so that when they are forcedbetween the cams 10 of the tongues 9 the blades will be close to thecontacts 3 and the inward pressure of the tongues 9 due to the camaction against the enlargements 12 will complete the movement of theblades 4, causing the latter to move between the contacts 3, 3 and closethe circuit. In other words, the forcing of the enlargements 12 betweenthe tongues 9 forces the tongues outwardly, and inward movement of thetongues when permitted completes the motion of the blades 4 to insurethe closing of the circuit.

By reason of this construction it is utterly impossible for an operatorto leave the blades close enough to the contacts 3 to allow any passageof current or any arcing because as soon as the blade nears the contacts3 the spring tongues will complete the movement of the blade to closethe circuit.

While I have illustrated what I believe to be a preferred embodiment ofmy invention it is obvious various changes and alterations might be madein the general form of the parts described without departing from myinvention and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details setforth but consider myself at liberty to make such changes andalterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appendedclaim.

I claim:

The combination with a switch, including a pair of contacts spacedapart, a pivoted blade movable between the contacts to close thecircuit, enlargements on opposite sides of the blade, and spring tonguesexerting cam action on the enlargements to complete the closing movementof the blade when said movement is manually initiated.

VERNON A. CONKLIN.

